1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, an apparatus, and a computer program for processing information and, particularly, to a method, an apparatus, and a computer program for appropriate use in an apparatus connected to a plurality of networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers having a size appropriate for portable use are now finding widespread use. Such computers are called mobile computers. Connections to the Internet are conventionally performed using wire. As wireless local area networks (LAN) are in widespread use, both wired connection to networks and wireless connection to networks become used.
Wireless LANs are installed anywhere in urban areas, for example, in fastfood stores to provide hotspot service, in which people enjoys wireless LAN connections. For example, a user, who uses a mobile computer, may establish a link to a network through a wireless LAN at home, may establish a link to the network through a wired LAN in a company office, and then may establish a link to the network through a wireless LAN available in the hotspot service.
The mobile computer, which is easily connected to different networks under different environments, must have the settings different from network to network. Depending on location, the user sets an appropriate connection destination, and needs to switch connection destinations of network. Since the setting and switching operations are inconvenient, a technique of using a simple operation to switch the networks has been proposed, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-311080 and Internet support software “Internet Kaisokubin Ver. 2.1” supplied by SHARP CORPORATION.
The same mobile computer is typically used under a plurality of network environments. The user must manually switch the network connection setting thereof (hereinafter also referred to as a profile). To switch the network connection setting, the user must recognize and memorize each profile.
Networks based on wireless technology such as wireless LAN and Bluetooth are now in widespread use. Under an environment, a connection to the network based on the wireless technology may be automatically established without user intervention. In other words, the user's terminal is connected to a network without the user being aware of connection if the user enters an area of a wireless network. The user has difficulty in manually setting a connection to a desired network.
The wireless networks and the wired networks currently coexist, and a plurality of access points to a plurality of networks may be close to each other. Under such a situation, the user has difficulty in recognizing whether a plurality of connections are established, what network the user's terminal is currently connected to, and what network is currently used for communication.
The cited references suffers from this drawback.